Articles
| Psychological & Spiritual Implications of Work | Ms.
K Shravani Ms. B Vishalakshi Research Associates, Intellects Biz |
Every business organization is a “Living Organization” – it has a body, mind and soul. Unfortunately people mistake the plant and machinery, building and structure, material and capital as organization. Contrarily, it is ‘People’ who make the organization. Without people no organization can work. If we agree to this fact, there would be no hesitation in accepting that every organization is an ‘organic being’. This new perspective has given a prominent place to ‘Spirituality’ in business management in the new age. As regards ‘Psychological Aspects’, they since have deep roots in business management and subjects like ‘Industrial Psychology’, ‘Human Psychology’ and ‘Social Psychology’ are the part of the curriculum in business management. Thus, we find no reason why should one be hesitant in accepting that both “Psychology” and “Spirituality” have their implications at work. Precisely this is the premise of our studies as well as this article, which is in your hands.
‘Success’ means different to different people. Some take ‘material gains’ as success and some look for a happy life style. Both are success but with a different perspective. Those who consider climbing the ladder of hierarchy as success would realize at the fag end that the ladder on which they had climbed was leaning to the wrong wall. But those who keep focus on spirituality and psychological aspects learn to grow at the horizontal bandwidth. For a horizontal growth one doesn’t depend on external factors including the judgmental factors of boss or seniors.
When we started working on the above theme we were highly conscious that dealing with psychological aspects was a non-issue in management but broaching upon spiritual implications would mean ‘walking the tight rope’. This apprehension in our mind worked as an adversity, which increased our ‘power of resilience’ that forced us to take a deeper dip. Though we could have selected a simple case-study relating to psychological aspect, which would obviously be easily convincing, yet we have chosen a ‘difficult-to-believe’ sub-theme – Placebo Effect – while choosing the story for our study, which is like swimming against the current. We have chosen a living cancer patient for our story.
As regards the case study relating to spirituality, it implicates a Herculean task. It implicates two issues. Firstly, it is difficult to convince Management Pharaohs through the words of ‘Spiritual gurus’. Secondly, most of the entrepreneurs, though talk of values and spirituality, yet don’t demonstrate the same through their business strategies and processes. Nevertheless, some companies are passing through a transition, from materialistic approach to spiritual approach, under the leadership of CEOs whose heart and mind are filled with love and wisdom. We could discover one such CEO, for our story to depict spiritual implications of work.
After identifying these two cases, we have conducted a minor research study under the ‘auspices’ of Intellects Biz with the support and guidance of Moid Siddiqui, Managing Director, and the author of many books on ‘Spiritual Management’, the recent ones being ‘Soul Inc.’ and ‘Corporate Soul’.
Case Study – I
‘Placebo Effect’
The law of life is the law of belief. Our belief settles in the mind. If it settles at the deepest level of the mind, what we call the subconscious mind, it plays miracles. The psychologists, in unison, have come to the conclusion that our mind creates the chemistry of our body. For instance, when we are hungry, the very idea of some delicious food gets our mouth watering! Likewise, a sexual thought in the mind arouses our passion and brings changes in certain parts of our body. Both these instances make it evident that our thoughts create impact on our body. Thus, ‘The mind creates the chemistry of the body’ stands proved. This simple psychological phenomenon has, of late, been adopted by the medical science giving it a name, ‘Placebo Effect’. Business management is not an alien in the universe we breathe in and breathe out. This Placebo Effect, which traveled from psychology to medical science, has now entered the doors of business management.
This Placebo Effect is also broadly known as Pygmalion Effect – your expectations create the results. As a student of Business Management we have read many stories where even the deadly disease like cancer got cured only by a strong willpower and power of thought through, what medical science calls ‘Placebo Effect’. Against this backdrop, when we heard some whispers about a case where a lady who was suffering from cancer miraculously got cured through the Placebo Effect, we just couldn’t resist and decided to meet the lady to find the authenticity of the tale and get more information.
We visited the Manuguru complex of Singareni Collieries Co. Ltd. – a mining township – which is situated around 350 kilometers from Hyderabad. There we met Smt. J Tulasi who is at her wrong side of 40’s. She shared with us how she could cure the deadly disease of cancer just through the power of mind. Before we share with you the story of Tulsi, we wish to say something more about ‘Placebo Effect’.
The ‘Placebo Effect’, when we read first time in the books, appeared to be some sort of fairytale. How can one believe that the power of thought creates impact on the body and heals the deadly disease like cancer? But when we met Tulasi, in flesh and bones, we understood that what we thought to be an unbelievable story was but the result of ‘Placebo Effect’, which has now been recognized by medical science.
Tulsi shared with us that she was leading a happy life until 1994 when she was diagnosed a case of Breast Cancer. Lots of tests were conducted and her breast cancer was established beyond doubt.
She had undergone lots of treatments, scanning, radio-therapy, chemo-therapy etc. But the outcome was not favorable. Tulasi shared with us that although doctors left the hope but she never felt nervous or disappointed. She also shared with us that she made lots of prayers but were of no avail.
Then, she met a doctor, who advised Tulasi, that she herself can get cured of this deadly disease, provided she maintains high degree of willpower, confidence, and creates a feeling that nothing wrong would happen to her. Her willpower can only cure this disease; none can cure otherwise. The doctor also advised her to get busy in some activity for the betterment of the society, where she should fully get involved forgetting her disease. Then, he suggested, getting near to Nature is the best way to keep her busy. Tulasi still remembers the words of the doctor: “The best life amongst the living beings is living a life of a ‘Loving Being’. As a human being we have lots of difficulties, hardships, sorrows as well happiness. You get what you focus on – sorrows or happiness. So, keep focus on happiness and develop your willpower, get involved doing something for the Nature.”
That was the turning point in Tulasi’s life. She started devoting her time in gardening, plantation and other eco-friendly activities. As she got indulged in these activities more and more, the diagnostic reports started showing improved results. She was getting healed not by medicines, nor by treatment, nor even by worships and prayers but with her romance with the ecology, greenery and green pastures, supported by her strong willpower.
Tulasi is one such lady where she has faced a number of problems, yet living an exemplary life which gives a lesson to all of us, ‘How to live a happy life amidst all problems, by creating happiness for others?’
Today, she is a healthy person who is still engaging herself in gardening, plantation and beautifying and creating the green pastures all around. Not only this, she is keeping herself fully engaged in ‘house keeping’ as a model Indian housewife. She is also taking care of her children their education, as a loving and caring mother.
She maintains her house and its surrounding in eco-friendly manner. No wonder she won the ‘Best Eco-Friendly House Prize’ from the environment department of SCCL. She has achieved this in spite of her physical sufferings due to chronic breast cancer. Amidst all sufferings she always kept herself close to the eco-friendly environment, and spent most of the time for creating green pastures. All this created a miraculous affect and at last she got fully cured of the deadly disease.
Today, Tulasi is leading a healthy life. Her cancer got cured with her unparallel romance with the environment and demonstration of an unchallenged willpower. What medico-psychology calls as ‘Placebo Effect’ has turned true, and she is a living example.
The above case study clearly proves that the psychology of a person causes implications on the body. If this phenomenon stands proved at the micro level, there should not be any hesitation in accepting that the psychological aspects have their implications of work at the macro level.
Case Study – II
‘Hugging in Imaginations’
Now we turn to a more difficult aspect of business management that is, ’Spiritual Implications of Work’. They say, ‘God favours the prepared mind’. Further, psychology also teaches us that the ‘conscious mind’ gives direction to your ‘subconscious mind’, which makes the things happen. Our laying hands on the book ‘Soul Inc.’, authored by Moid Siddiqui, Managing Director, Intellects Biz was in no way lesser than a miracle. To our amazement, in the chapter ‘Be a Lovebird and Make Relationships’ we found a fairytale about an entrepreneur, K S Raju, Chairman & Managing Director of Nagarjuna Group, which the author claimed to be a truthful story. It was difficult to believe that someone’s “Hugging in Imagination” could create such ripples that an enemy could turn a friend! First we give below an excerpt of what we read in the book, then would share the experience of our meeting K S Raju.
In ‘Soul Inc.’ the author has written a story about K S Raju, Chairman & Managing Director of Nagarjuna Group. It appears both of them had participated in the Global Convention organized by ‘State of the World Forum’ at San Francisco on the theme ‘Creating a Culture of Peace’. During one of the sessions on the theme ‘Science, Spirituality and Management’ the scientists on the dais asked the participants to share some of their spiritual experiences in business management, which would be true to the soul but would appear to be unbelievable. Everyone was hesitant and it was K S Raju who got up and shared one of his experiences, which he claimed true to his soul. It appears that there was a tussle between K S Raju and one of the Secretaries of GOI on interpretation of a clause relating to ‘subsidy’. The secretary interpreted the clause which went against Raju’s company causing a financial implication of over Rs. 100 Crore. Whenever Raju went to the Secretary to press his viewpoint he was always humiliated with caustic words. A time came when Raju lost patience and started expressing some harsh words about the Secretary on the breakfast table with his family. His daughter ‘Lakshmi’ brought wisdom to Raju! She said it was not good on his part to use such abusive words in someone’s absence. She pleaded that both of them were doing their own ‘dharmas’ – Raju being Chairman was fighting for his company and the Secretary being loyal to GOI was trying to protect the interest of Government. This awakening brought to him a realization that what he did was not akin to Spiritual Management. In regret Raju decided to go for ‘pachaytap’ (Repentance) to correct the ‘Spiritual erring’. K S Raju started praying for the wellbeing of the Secretary and went to the extent of hugging him in his imaginations, thereby creating lots of positive vibrations. He didn’t share this with anyone, including his daughter Lakshmi. Then occurred a miracle! K S Raju was called by the Secretary and to his wonderment Raju found him a changed person who was very receptive and positive to sort out the issue. And eventually the same Secretary who was deadly opposed to him settled the case in favour of Raju!
The author claimed that after K S Raju narrated the above incidence, the delegates gave him a standing ovation. In other words the unbelievable story of ‘Spiritual Implication’ was not only believed but also applauded.
We could have relied on the facts expressed by the author but it wouldn’t satisfy us. So we have decided to meet K S Raju to hear this from him. The very fact that not only he has accepted our request but also devoted his precious time for a couple of hours, reflects his humility and spiritual personality. When we met him in his office chamber, we found as if a Spiritual Monk was sitting in the chair as an entrepreneur.
K S Raju confirmed the incident quoted by the author of ‘Soul Inc.’ and shared a lot of spiritual thoughts with us. At the conclusion of the meeting he told, “Hug people in your imaginations if you want to create a pure relationship without any selfish motives. Create positive vibrations to drive out negativity.”
While returning some of his spiritual thoughts were still vibrating in our minds.
We are now convinced that both psychology
and spirituality have great role to
play in business management. With our
limited vocabulary we have tired to
put through two true stories to make
you believe that these subtle aspects
create the impact on our body and mind
not only in our personal life but also
in our corporate life as a manager.
If you believe what we said, we will
be happy. If you don’t believe
what all that we have mentioned, it
would certainly not reflect on the truthfulness
of the stories but could be attributed
to our limited vocabulary which couldn’t
create an impressive pattern of language!
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